


An Invitation to All

by Habpy_Flaat



Series: Kingdom's AU [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Assassination Attempt(s), BAMF Niki, Dadza, Dave | Technoblade and Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Dynamics, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, LITERALLY, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Overprotective, Protective Toby Smith | Tubbo, Sleepy Boys Inc. - Freeform, They are princes!!, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship, TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit Swears (Video Blogging RPF), also there's tubbo, and queens!! and kings!!, royal au, that's for later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27812167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Habpy_Flaat/pseuds/Habpy_Flaat
Summary: Tommy is the youngest prince of the Sleepy Kingdom who has spent nearly all 12 years of his life cooped up inside the castle walls. However, when the royal family received a letter inviting all of the royals in the land to attend a Dinner and Ball at Queen Nihachu's castle, he is determined to attend- with or without his family's permission. Sneaking out of the castle with Tubbo to follow his family to the celebration is easy enough; the problem lies with proving himself at the party itself (especially since they are already pissed that he's come in the first place).Perhaps it would be easier if the party weren't a ruse to instigate a huge political negotiation between attending kingdoms; or if he hadn't gotten involved with Schlatt before even sitting down to eat.---------------I'm terrible at summaries. Tommy and Tubbo sneak out to this big party and political meeting in a shitty attempt to prove to Tommy's brothers that he is mature, but instead, he starts a fight with Schlatt and gets involved in an assassination scheme.Huge thank you to nic_takes_ls for beta reading this fic!! They formatted basically the whole thing, so pog mf champ to them.
Relationships: No romantic ships - Relationship, but nothing centric, u can squint if u want for back ground characters
Series: Kingdom's AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2034973
Comments: 21
Kudos: 118





	1. What if we went ourselves?

Tommy couldn’t help but think about how it’s not every day that a massive meeting such as this one occurs. It is often considered unwise- dangerous even- to gather all of the age’s royals in one building. Much less the same room.

And yet, a coral invitation had arrived hand-delivered by Queen Niki’s personal guard welcoming the entirety of Sleepy Kingdom’s royal family and any others they might wish to accompany them to a Dinner and Ball on the Sunday evening of November 23rd. And afterwards, a few days of reprieve in which the families could be at ease in her own palace.

The guest list, which she had mentioned in a personal letter to Prince Wilbur, was extensive. 

She had invited every royal currently occupying land in the Northern Hemisphere. She wanted to form a treaty of sorts that would unite the kingdoms, prevent further wars, and boost trade in all participating nations. 

Technoblade had scoffed at the “optimistic” idea but received a swift scolding from Phil before holding his tongue. Phil himself was cautious of the invite, but open-minded nonetheless. He asked the guard to board with them until they decided if they would be attending. 

After a week of staying in the castle, the man was anxious to leave. The ball was in four days, and it would take at least three to make it to her Castle. It was the night before they would need to leave that Philza finally allowed the boys to try to convince him. 

“Wilbur, no offense to your girlfriend, but I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”

Techno had spoken bluntly the minute they sat down to eat that night. The dinner table was enormous, seating up to 18 guests and polished to shine. However, the small family instead opted to sit huddled together at the end. Phil sat at the table's head, with Wilbur and Techno sitting to his right, Tommy across from the two in the chair closest to Phil's left. 

“It’s a ball Techno; it’s not that outlandish for us to be invited to a ball.” Wilbur retorted, picking at his food glumly. 

“Wilbur, this isn’t the same, and you know it. We’re talking about what would be an enormous political meeting, which the way I understand it, most of the participants don't know it will be.” He told his son softly. 

“Yeah, but that’s the point! She invited them to a party so that no one would attend for political purposes. She wants friendly rulers.” Wilbur defended the young Queen. 

Niki's Kingdom was not a small one, but it was not much compared to the land which the Sleepy Kingdom had conquered. 

“What would they do, Phil, murder us? Everyone will be there! It’s not as though we would be drawing swords on each other?” He implored his father. 

Nikki was one of the youngest Queens Philza had ever met, taking the throne at only 15 years old after her father's untimely death, her mother having died young, she had grown into the position beautifully. A skilled negotiator, Queen Niki had managed to avoid any skirmishes in the four years she had been Queen. The kingdoms surrounding her own, and far beyond that, knew her as a kind and just ruler. If any neutral parties could negotiate peace among the nations, it would be her. 

“Plus! What if something does go wrong? We should be there to protect Nikki!” Tommy interjected.

Tommy, at this time, is a ripe 12 years of age. Hardly a baby, but still a child. The blonde had spent nearly his entire life within the stone walls, with the exceptions of times when he managed to sneak out of the castle.

At one point, the boy had disappeared entirely for a month, squads of soldiers had searched the country for the young prince for weeks when suddenly he reappeared in the castle dining room for dinner. 

This incident, in particular, would confound his brothers for years, the only explanation being that “he had his ways,” though rumor dictates he had a friend who was the real brains behind the operation.

To say that Phil kept the boy on a short lead would be an understatement. 

“Absolutely not. Regardless of if we,” The king gestured to himself and Tommy’s brothers, “go, you will be staying here.” 

Tommy let out an indignant noise before being interrupted by Wilbur, “So we will go?”

“I didn’t say that!” Phil told him, “We are discussing it.” 

“Even if it does go to shit, what do we have to lose? We know how to defend ourselves; I doubt any of them would try to mess with us.” 

Techno was the second oldest between the sons- or so it was thought. 

None of the boys were born in the castle, though the secret was so well kept not even the servants knew of that detail.

The fact was fiercely hidden for fear that citizens might protest the kingship of one outside of the royal bloodline. 

The Sleepy Kingdom's people knew of a reclusive queen hidden away in a private castle far from the villages and their prying eyes- even though no such queen existed.

All three of the sons had been picked up in one way or another. Found abandoned, discovered stealing, left in front of the castle is nothing but a cradle and a blanket. In each instance, the king's heart had gotten the better of him, and he offered his home to the children. 

Those are stories of different times, though, now of course, they had grown to be much more.  
Techno, known throughout the lands as “Technoblade” was a skilled swordsman and battle strategist. 

Though he had only found rank amongst their fleets in the last three years, he was an undefeated and feared warrior among those who knew his name. 

“War, Techno? Relations? Trade? We are running a Kingdom here. It’s not just us at risk.” Philza shot back, looking at his son incredulously. 

“Yes! But we stand just as much to gain! Think of the impact if we could openly trade with every country encounter! We would have guaranteed allies should we ever fall to war-and; let’s face it, the treaty with the Hon Kingdom was a shit idea, and at some point, we are going to have to butt heads with Schlatt’s men.” Wilbur rushed out in a single breath. 

Wilbur was the eldest and tallest of the three brothers. An incredible negotiator and, on a more personal level, poet. The boy had a way with words which his father had never encountered, and royals joked that the young man should be responsible for all legal documents of his Kingdom. Philza might even agree with them. However, in squabbles such as this one- over warm shepherd’s pie at the family dinner table- he tended to dissolve into whines and shouts. 

“That deal was not shit! The only reason we haven’t started profiting yet is because we still have to keep the trade deal secret! Unless you want to go back to eating un-spiced food!” Techno accused, shoving Wilbur's plate and sticking out his tongue.

Tommy remembered the treaty vaguely as an agreement with a King Karl of the Hon kingdom promising aid and protection. 

The young country had found standing on a newly discovered landmass in the east and was still growing. Each day, travelers ventured further into the territories claiming it for the country. On their way finding new and exciting plants and animals, which were sent exclusively to the Sleepy Kingdom in return for their service. 

On the other side of the landmass though, the Qauc colony had also begun claiming land. When the two countries finally met, it was negotiated that there would be no land disputes while they were still growing. 

Of course, the treaty was unapproved by the Quac colonies' advisors on the mainland for fear of opposition. 

Needless to say, the entire situation had been a powder keg for weeks. 

“Off topic! Think about it, dad- please.” Wilbur begged, ignoring the rough treatment of his dinner.

At this point, near silently, Tommy pocketed several dinner rolls and slipped from his chair at the table. 

The food had long since gone cold, and the excitement from the letter had spoiled his appetite before he could even begin eating. 

Now the feeling which had once lit a flame in his chest sat extinguished in a heap at the pit of his stomach.

Sneaking away from the dinner table was easy- as it always was. His father was distracted by his brothers, and his brothers were too engrossed in their argument to notice. 

Squeezing through the adjacent door without moving it on its creaky hinges, he hurried through the halls of the castle quietly with practiced ease. 

The dining room fell on the fourth floor of the castle, which most of their private rooms resided on, so getting outside was a bit more of a hassle than others.

The young prince was undeterred though, and at just ten years old, had discovered loose bricks outside of his windows which, when jiggled one at a time had formed an impromptu unnoticeable climbing wall. 

Reaching his quarters, he glanced out the window for a familiar cloth strung from the oak tree a distance away. 

The bright red scarf hung blowing in the wind, promising his friend awaiting him in the hollow space under the roots of the tree. A dry smile painted his face as he heaved himself over the windowsill. 

Deftly swinging from placeholder to placeholder, he hit the grass with a soft thump in a matter of seconds.  
Ducking low, he darted through what brush was available until finally setting his palms on the firm bark of the old oak tree.

A low knock 1-2-3 1-2 1-2 served as a warning before he shoved the rotted wood which leaned on the bottom of the trunk to the side and climbed into the shallow hole that was revealed. Quickly replacing the cover, he scooched further into the alcove and down the sharp slope which followed. 

“Tommy!” His friend beamed when after a brief slide, Tommy plopped onto the pile of hay at the bottom. 

“Tubbo! How long’ve you been here?” Tommy asked him, clamoring to his feet to greet the brunette. 

“Not long, though I was beginning to think you weren’t coming tonight.” The boy chuckled, enveloping Tommy in a tight hug. 

The room they stood in now had once been a wet and grimy hole that had all but collapsed under the tree, now fixed up by the duo was a quaint little cove. 

The roof was lined with wooden boards, holding the compacted dirt up from collapsing with the aid of several tactfully placed pillars. 

Lit a warm golden hue by the torches which lined the walls, a bed sat in the corner, chest’s occupying area at the foot of the bed, and small wooden shelves that they had made stuck out of the wall holding all sorts of objects and tools.

The two separated, and Tubbo made his way to the make-shift furnace, which sat in the corner opposite of the bed. 

Tommy made quick work of pulling all of the bread out of his pockets, “Sorry, Big Man we had shepherds pie for dinner; I didn’t think you would want that out of my pocket.” 

“That’s fine! I went into the village with my mom today; we ate out.” Tubbo smiled contentedly. 

“Thats awesome Tubbo! Does that mean she’s feeling better?” Tommy couldn’t help but ask. 

“I think so, she didn’t seem all that bothered by the people, and she did well on the walk.” Tubbo told him before Tommy handed him one of the rolls which he gingerly took a bite out of. 

“So,” He said with a mouth full, “What’s happening in the castle?”

“We received a letter from Queen Niki today,” Tommy began excitedly, “We were invited to this big ball! And there were supposed to be all sorts of other nobles there!”  
Tubbo swallowed before shifting where he sat on top of the furnace. 

“Were?” He repeated questioningly. 

“Yeah, well, Phil might let us go at all. Afterward, there is supposed to be a big political meeting, and he doesn’t really want to get involved. But even if he and my brothers go, I’m not allowed.”

Tommy said, resigned. It didn’t bother him anymore, he told himself, but the heavy feeling that had returned to his stomach said otherwise. 

“So you would just get left here, again?” Tubbo asked.

“Well, yeah, with the guards’ nd shit.” Tommy told him with a shrug before finally sitting in the dirt in front of the furnace. 

He glanced into the fire for a moment before returning his gaze to Tubbo. 

“That’s kind of a dick move.” 

Tommy heaved out a laugh at the words, “It’s not. They can’t bring me on this sort of stuff cause if they all die, I have to become king or some shit.” He jokes at the, but the smile was strained.

“Well, do you know if they’re going?” Tubbo asked him, standing up from his place and moving to sit shoulder to shoulder with Tommy in front of the fire. 

“I don’t know; they were still talking when I bailed.” Tommy huffed out, leaning his head on Tubbo’s shoulder.

“Wilbur was begging, though, so chances are they’ll leave sometime tomorrow.” He finished dully.

Tubbo pondered for a moment before pulling away from his friend, “Well that’s okay! We could sneak out and do something on our own?”

Tommy bit his lip before slowly responding, “I’ve never been to a ball before. First I was too young, now I’m too immature. If they had let us go, I could have taken you as my plus one! I don’t know, I guess I was just excited.”

Tubbo made a noise at that, scrunching his nose, “Isn’t a plus one meant to be a date thing?” he asked.

Tommy nearly choked, “No! It’s like a friend, jeez fucking ew Tubbo.” Tubbo laughed at the response.

“Oh thank god. Well- okay- what’s to stop us from going? We can just sneak out and go to her place.” 

Tommy recovered from his wheezing, “We can’t just walk to Niki’s Kingdom. It would take ages. That’s if we even made it all the way there before being caught.” 

“We wouldn’t have to! We could sneak out after they leave and follow them on some of your horses? We might have to hurry, but as long as we don’t get caught, they wouldn’t know you were out of the castle until we’re at the party!” 

Tommy’s eyes widened, turning back to his friend.  
“That.. actually, that’s not a terrible idea. And if I actually act mature ‘nd shit, they might let me start coming along on this stuff! After they finish being pissy.” Tommy exclaimed. 

“Wait, seriously? You actually want to do this?” Tubbo asked incredulously. “You realize you could get in a lot of trouble, plus what if it is actually dangerous to be there?”

“Of course I want to try! I’m tired of getting left behind for stuff like this. Come on Tubbo, you have to come with, I thought you were supposed to be my knight.” Tommy complained, bringing up the unofficial role Tommy had given Tubbo as kids. 

Tubbo hummed for a moment, conceding if only for the fact that he knew Tommy would leave with or without him.

“Well, first we need to find out whether or not they’re going.” Tubbo pointed out nervously, though he was also a little excited at the prospect of visiting the young Queen. 

“We can ask Philza! They would have decided before dinner was over. I’ll ask him, and if it’s a yes we can start getting ready! Come on!” Tommy said, standing quickly and offering a hand to his friend. 

“Wait, you want me to go into the castle? Your brothers are still home.” Tubbo pointed out nervously before taking the hand that was offered to him. 

“It’ll be fine; you can just hide while I talk to Phil. We will need to clean you up if we go, so it would be better if you’re inside. And if he says no, then you get to spend the night in the castle!”  
Tubbo bristled slightly at the comment but relented to the blonde after a moment of contemplation.

It had been a long time since waters in the village had been warm enough to bathe in, and he lacked the effort to boil water for a bath, so like most of the folk in town, he had forgone the practice at the beginning of winter. 

Outside of brief rinses in the mornings, he was nowhere near the sparkling of a noble.

Quickly shoving the second loaf into his mouth, he nodded at Tommy, and ignoring the fear which roared at the back of his mind, he followed Tommy out the second tunnel into the night.


	2. And they're off!

After forcing Tubbo to climb the wall into his window, the two had sat down and whispered excitedly to one another how exactly it should go. The boys had planned as though they were generals of Sleepy Kingdoms armies, anticipating the targets every move and preparing for every possible hindrance. 

A mental checklist of what they had discussed was ingrained into Tommy’s brain as he had shuffled through the hallways, Tubbo a small distance behind him prepared to hide at the first sign of danger.

“Where to?” Tubbo had asked, grinning wildly as he stepped out from behind a red patterned curtain hung by the window minutes before. Wilbur and Techno had just passed, holding their crowns and speaking quietly as they walked through the halls. Tubbo had only had a moment's warning to hide before the boys turned the corner literal feet ahead of the pair. 

Tommy had explained once, sitting in a field of grass and flowers miles away from the castle, that he did think his family would like Tubbo. Tubbo was sweet and ridiculously smart for having no formal sort of education. However, once the family knew of the young friend, he would be confined to meeting Tommy under the same rules which Tommy already disobeyed.

And Tommy couldn’t trust to know what would happen if Phil found out just how much mischief Tubbo helped cause, though that thought was kept private. 

It was most comfortable for them to be sneaky. 

“This way!” Tommy told him, beginning to walk at a brisk pace down the hallway. The cold castle stone was warmed only by the light of hanging lanterns. The palace windows were blackened by night time; only small dots of light from the distant village were left of the view. 

“Where are we going?” Tubbo asked quietly when the duo paused at a corner while Tommy checked for servants in the abandoned hallway. 

“I’m going to ask Phil, then you’re going to take a bath because you’re filthy. I can sneak into the kitchens and grab us some food to pack for the ride while you do that if it’s a yes,” Tommy said, turning to the right and beginning to walk again. Tubbo stumbled after the blonde. “Up here, we need to be really quiet, the bath room is only a hall away from Philza’s.” 

Tubbo paled at the thought. Rationally he knew that he would be meeting the king within the next few days in far from ideal circumstances. However, the idea of being discovered by the ruler sneaking around the castle with his youngest most rebellious son gave Tubbo chills.  
After tiptoeing through two more hallways, a left turn followed by a right, Tommy gestured for Tubbo to stay put. Shifting nervously from foot to foot and holding his breath, Tubbo waited in a darkened corner of the hall.   
Tommy padded quietly down the corridor to the guard, who stood in front of his father's door. 

“'Excuse me, could you find a scullery maid to pour me a bath, please?” He asked awkwardly. The chamberlain eyed him suspiciously for a brief second but huffed before nodding. Before he could leave though, Tommy asked once more, “Also, is my dad in bed already? Or could I speak to him for a second?” 

“He’s packing for tomorrow, but I’m sure he could spare a moment.” The man told him before knocking lightly on the door and walking in the direction opposite of which Tommy had come.  
“Come in.”

Slowly Tommy pushed the door in, making his way quietly into the chamber. His father's room was a tall bright room, the floor covered with a plush carpet and a large bed draped with thick blankets, and dark spruce wardrobes that were currently strewn open, his fathers' clothes strewn about. 

“Hello, Phil!” Tommy called out cheekily, making his way onto the enormous mattress. 

“Tommy? What are you still doing up?” Phil asked, turning away from the wardrobe he had been rummaging through. Inside the wooden case were various outfits for different occasions, though most of the space was occupied by his father's “casual-castle-clothes.” The soft linens and coats were just fancy enough to be passable should an unexpected guest arrive. 

“It’s only 7:00; we had daylight savings, I just came to see you!” He told his father. 

Philza hummed in response, “Ah, yes. So you aren’t here to inquire about a certain event at all?”  
Tommy bit his tongue at the call-out. Phil seemingly found what he was looking for as he pulled a pair of smooth black trousers out of the bottom drawer. 

Part of Tommy had always wondered if anyone outside of the castle besides Tubbo even knew what the youngest prince of the Sleepy Kingdom looked like. Another part of him wondered if he had done something to make his family ashamed to show him to the world. The blonde hardly remembers having attended any political meetings in his life, though Wilbur assures him that they brought him along for a good while before he ruined it.

While Tommy mused these thoughts, his father had set the pants in the awaiting trunk and sat down on the bed next to him.  
“What do you need, Tommy?” Phil asked him gently. 

“Nothing. I was just going to ask when you’re leaving.” Tommy told him. Leaning onto his dad’s shoulder, he managed a glimpse of the crown case. All but his own had been removed, the bright gold metal shining in the lantern light. 

“I promise, as soon as you've proven you can be mature about these things, you can come to as many of these shit shows as you want, but I don’t need them targeting you because you're inexperienced. Especially not with the tensions right now.” Phil told him, turning to hug his youngest son tightly. Tommy held Phil for just a moment before pulling away. Inside he longed to argue that there was no way for him to prove himself without actually going, but he’d had that conversation plenty, and knew exactly how it would end.

“Do you think you could tell the cooks that I can have cake or something sweet? The kitchen won’t let me have any because it’s “late.”” A rule imposed by his own father, enforced on all three sons by the castle staff, “I’m just so depressed. I need it.” Tommy begged his dad jokingly.

Phil laughed, pushing the younger boy away before standing. “Alright, fine, for the occasion. Come on.” Tommy threw himself backward, laying on the bed.

“Bring it to me. I’m too sad to walk.” he told Phil in a false sad voice, who in turn laughed at the joke but began walking out.

“Fine. But, if you’re not there I’m just going to grab whatever.” 

The chamber door was left open in his wake, and at the sound of Phil's retreating footsteps Tommy hurried to his feet. Snatching his own coronet out of the case and stumbling out of the doorway into the darkened hall. 

“Tubbo!” He whispered harshly in the direction he had parted from his friend. Relief flooded his chest as Tubbo scurried around the corner. Grabbing his friend by the forearm he pulled him along into the washroom. 

“Tommy, you won’t believe it, the king just walked right past me!” Tubbo stuttered excitedly shaking Tommy’s hand where it gripped him. Hurrying into the washroom, Tommy shut the heavy door behind them to see the room. The room smelled overwhelmingly of the soaps and lotions that littered the counters. Shaking his head, Tommy rushed forward.

“That’s awesome Tubbo! Now, Take this, get into that closet, and stay quiet!” Tommy told him, shoving the coronet into his hands and ushering the boy towards a tall door on the wall, which he knew would be filled with spare cloths and towels. 

“Holy shit- is this your crown?” Tubbo gasped out, nearly dropping the item.

“Yep. Now into the cupboard.” Tommy commanded, pushing Tubbo once more. 

“Jesus Christ, holy shit, Tommy what the fuck? What if I get caught with this?” Tubbo asked him, finally stepping into the closet, “Don’t get caught.” Tommy said. 

Snatching a towel and cloth from beside the boy before shutting the door quickly. 

Of course, if Tubbo were to get caught Tommy would take the blame in full. Both boys knew this. Tommy would at worst be grounded for his endeavor, Tubbo’s punishment held the risk of being much harsher. 

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He told his friend quietly, hanging the towels over the rack next to the tub. A glance inside told him that whoever had been asked to warm the water had already begun filling the smooth stone tub because several inches of water already lay at the bottom.  
Slipping back out of the doorway into Phil’s room down the hall, he only had to wait a few more minutes before Phil returned. He thanked his father for the cake- chocolate, he noticed with a smile- and after a few more minutes “went off to bed” with a quiet goodnight. 

Carrying the desert with him and returning to the washroom, a woman stood in front of the door as he approached.

“The bath is ready,” she told him with a nod.

“Thank you! Sorry, I didn’t ask Wilbur or Techno, they’re all busy right now, and the cooks hate it when I fuck with the stove.” He told her with a laugh and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.  
Despite his upbringing asking people to perform such mundane tasks had always made Tommy a little bit uncomfortable. It was just one more thing to add to the list of  
‘Things I get to avoid outside of this bloody castle where I’m treated like a baby.’

Unaware of his internal spite, she chuckled as well, “It’s not a problem, your highness. Though, you might need to give the water a moment to cool down. Finish your sweets before you get in.” She laughed, gesturing to the untouched cake in his hands. Tommy had nearly forgotten the dish and blushed slightly at the jab, with a sheepish smile he bid the woman goodnight. 

Opening the door, he was hit immediately with the heat and steam wafting from the bath upon entering the room. “Tubbo, I’m back!” He called out quietly, and the doors to the cupboard opened suddenly.

“That was fucking terrifying; she must have used like four buckets because she just kept coming back.” Tubbo huffed, stumbling dramatically out of the closet. “Take this, and please, warn me next time.”

The crown was shoved gracelessly in Tommy’s direction. “Hey- watch it bitch- I’m holding food, try not to ruin my heirloom ‘ey?”

Tubbo's head popped up at the mention of food, and Tommy laughed, tugging the crown from his friend's grip and replacing it with the plate. 

“Chocolate cake, eat it while the water cools.” He told Tubbo, laughing. 

“Oh shit, thank you.” Tubbo smiled, taking the offered snack without question.

“Alright, while you’re in here, I will go start packing clothes and food. Yeah?”  
Tubbo nodded at the offer before pausing his chewing. 

“We should probably bring some weapons as well, just in case.” He pointed out through his mouthful. 

Tommy nodded, mentally noting it down before making his way to the door, crown in hand. “Got it, Big T. You know the way to my room from here, right?”

Tubbo had visited the castle in the past, though never while Tommy’s family had been home. Tommy was adamant that his family did not know of Tubbo. Even after Tubbo’s mother’s health took a turn for the worse, the boy declined the offer of moving into the castle, refusing to disrupt the fragile reality his mother's mind had become so reliant on. 

“Yeah, I got it!” Tubbo nodded. 

“Don’t get caught. If you aren’t there in an hour, I’ll be back to find you!” 

Tommy didn’t end up needing to find the brunette.

Hours into the night- nearly morning- Tommy and Tubbo would lay awake in the young prince’s bedroom even as light began to peak through the window. A neatly packed (well, as neatly as something can be packed by two 12-year-old boys) chest was tucked hidden beneath Tommy’s bed. 

After leaving Tubbo, Tommy had made quick work of bustling around the castle in the dark to find the items for their trip. 

Stopping first in the armory, he tried to grab tools that wouldn’t be missed. 

Despite being toe to toe with several nations, the castle armory was not a well-used outlet.  
Most conflicts were overseas at the moment; therefore, the castle artillery could be stolen with relative ease as long as you didn’t take too much.

The weapons in question were a duo of small daggers and a lightweight sword, he was too nervous to borrow any more. Dragging the load back to his room quietly had been a hassle but hardly took an hour. Tubbo was sitting waiting on his bed when he returned, looking refreshed and smelling wonderfully of lavender and berries. 

The pair took a few minutes to sift through Tommy’s wardrobe, finding a dark green and grey ensemble dotted with silver sequins for Tubbo and a smooth red and white get-up for Tommy.  
Taking off one more time, now into the dead of night, they managed to steal several pouches of various non-perishable foods. 

Tossing in over-coats and blankets as an afterthought, the chest was forced shut with a click.  
All of these items now set-away in their container under the bed, awaiting what was to come.  
However, just as the first beams of light crawled over the horizon, both boys began to feel just the tiniest bit suffocated by the idea of their plan. 

Neither voiced these thoughts, instead feigning sleep aside one another. Who could sleep on the eve of such a mischievous plot? Counting the seconds distantly, the village’s church bell rang out, registering the start of a new day. 

The pair flinched as a sharp knock echoed on the thick door, the boys shooting up from the mattress in unison. Tommy pushed Tubbo quickly to the left, calling out to the person,  
“Just a second.” in a tired voice. Tubbo hopped down off of the bed and crouched beside it, avoiding having to crawl under the mattress unless he had to.

“Tommy, we’re about to leave; we just wanted to say bye.” 

Glancing back at his friend, Tommy padded across the stone, quietly opening his door. “Oh, you’re leaving already? We haven’t even had breakfast.” 

Wilbur stood in front of him, dressed for a long journey and smiling despite the early hour.  
“Yes, well, we wanted to get ahead of the sun. Phil and Techno are packing the horses if you want to come down.” He told Tommy, ruffling the younger’s hair softly. 

Tommy shoved his brother’s hand away gently, “Right, I’ll be down in just a second, then.” 

Wilbur didn’t take the cue to leave instead, lingering in the doorway for a moment. Tommy’s heart thudded painfully in his ears, staring at his brother with a heightened awareness of his friend hiding a few feet into the room. 

“Listen, Toms, I know you hate being left behind, and you’re probably pissed right now,” Wilbur began with a sigh, “But you know we do this because we love you. So when you go down, can you please put on a happy face for Phil? You’re giving him grey hairs.” 

Tommy huffed slightly at the words but looked to the floor and nodded. So Wilbur wasn’t suspicious. He was patronizing. 

“Hey. We loooove you. I’ll bring you back something cool, okay?” And with that and another pat on the head, Wilbur departed. Tommy all but slammed the door behind his brother and turned back towards the bed. 

“Okay, Tubbo, you take the chest and head out to the horses. Get them saddled up and grab some feed. We will need to take the back route to get out of here without anyone noticing, which means we’ll have to hurry to catch up.” 

The boy in question popped up from behind the bed dutifully. 

“Got it! Is there anything else you need to grab before we leave?” Tubbo asked him, already dragging the chest out from under the bed. 

“Not anything in the castle, but remind me to grab some lanterns from the barn.” He said, slipping on a pair of shoes, lacing them quickly.

Bounding down the halls and staircases, he greets his family at the front gate with a smile. The grass is still heavy with dew, and the world is painted in a muted light by the early morning sun. 

“Hey Philza, Hello Blade!” He called as he approached, drawing the attention of the three royals. 

“Morning Tommy,” Techno called back, giving a slight tug on his horse’s saddle before turning to his brother.

Phil seemed tired but looked to Tommy with a smile. 

“Jeez, Toms you look exhausted. Did the sugar keep you up all night?” 

Tommy shook his head quickly, “You think a big man like me is going to be bothered by some fuckin’ sugar. Geez, Phil…”

Phil sat his chest his chest heavily into the under compartment of the carriage and spun to face the blonde, opening his arms. Tommy hugged his father tightly for a bit before backing away. 

The three were suited up, obviously ready to go, and despite his nerves, Tommy was too. Ought to make this quick then, he planned on seeing them in a few days anyways. 

“Don’t do anything stupid while we are gone, please.” Wilbur said enveloping the younger in hug as well, “and stay the fuck out of my room this time.”  
So he hadn’t forgotten the mud boots. Good to note. 

“I’m not going to go into your shitty room! All that’s in there are love letter’s anyways.” Tommy groused pulling back.

“They’re not love letters!” Wilbur defended shoving the blonde lightly towards Techno. 

The pink haired brother let out a small oof at the impact of his youngest brother, before interjecting “Wil, sonnets count.” 

Tommy laughed at the unexpected support, letting the pink haired boy ruffle his hair - not one for hugs- before climbing into the carriage after Phil. 

“See? Love letters, Even Techno agrees.” Tommy smirked at the poet cheekily. Wilbur let out an over dramatic sigh at the antics, “That doesn’t mean anything. But, we do need to get going so we’ll finish this later. Love you, see you soon, okay?” and with a quick pat on the back, Wilbur ducked into the carriage as well. 

“Remember, if you all die, I become king so-” Tommy began.

“God save the Kingdom,” Techno called out, grinning.  
Tommy huffed ingnantly and flipped off his brothers. 

“Hey, Phil, look!” Wilbur shouted, pointing at Tommy, who pulled his hand down at lightning speed. 

“Fuck you!” Tommy yelled. Techno shut the carriage door in Tommy’s face with a laugh as Phil called out through the glass.

“Watch it, Tommy! And, Behave while we’re gone.” 

And with that, the group was off. Carriage wheels thudding against the dirt pulled by the four steeds and guided by the two coachmen away from the castle.

The guards who stood at the entrance began dragging the giant iron gates closed, leaving Tommy standing in the middle of the courtyard alone. 

Taking in a breath of the cold morning air to soothe his thudding heart, he turned gingerly to make his way back towards the doors of the castle. 

It never failed to feel absolutely gutting to be left behind by his family at the gates. Watching his brothers and dad not only escape the tiny corner of the world in which he felt confined but also to do it together. 

Soon though, they would understand that he is ready to leave as well. 

Rushing through the ground floor of the castle, he made his way to the Barnes determinedly.  
Crossing the castles grounds in record time his hands shook slightly at the sight of the old wooden structure. When he entered, he could already hear the whine of his horse as Tubbo no doubt struggled to strap on the saddle. 

The animal had a reputation of rowdiness for riders that weren’t Tommy. The young prince claimed he had trained it to be so, but honestly, he had no idea where the equestrian got it’s loyal spunk. 

Bursting into the small stable, Tubbo let out a frightened squeal, tripping away from the horse in surprise. 

“Shit Tommy! Fucking, warn a guy!” 

“You wimp! Come on, we have to hurry.” 

Turning to where Tubbo had fashioned the saddle and chest, Tommy huffed, readjusting several straps in a hurry. The animal watched it all calmly, chewing on hay from the bottom of the enclosure. Handing the reins to Tubbo to hold, he bustled out and across the hall to the adjacent stable. Snatching a second saddle and saddle pad off the wall, he gave the horse a rough brush before dressing it. 

Seven minutes later, helping Tubbo hop onto the beast before jumping onto his own, the boys were ready to go. Quietly, the two reigned their animals out the back exit ducking as they made their way through the doorway. 

Twenty minutes after that, Tommy let out a victorious whoop over the sound of thudding hooves as the castle faded into the distance behind them. Shrouded by tree leaves and mountain ranges, the troublesome duo bound away through the forest laughing and yelling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sure fuck it I guess lmao. Hope yall enjoyed- I suck at this. Lmfaoooo. Kudos and Comments are pog- if you have any writing tips please drop them I'm dying inside. I can't write family interactions apparently, which is not surprising but still disappointing.  
> Yep okay see u next chapter, probably coming out tomorrow or the day after ;/


	3. On the road

The day went by slowly, the sun moving across the sky at a snail’s pace while the boys rode. A trip to the Hachu Kingdom took around three days if one hurried. The letter's timing had made it so the small family all but clamored to prepare for the trip. Between deciding if they would attend, clearing the King’s busy schedule, and packing to leave; a week was not much time to prepare a trip for a royal. Of course, if they had decided sooner, they might have been less rushed in their journey. Too bad they hadn't.

Now the uninvited duo was forced to hurry after the rushed tracks of his family's carriage, hardly able to take in the area around them before moving on. 

Tommy hadn’t seen much of the countryside, even in his own kingdom. The wealthy patrons which he was allowed to visit tended to settle relatively close to the castle, making trips short and sweet. And times that he and Tubbo felt confident enough to leave the village, they couldn’t travel very far for fear they would get lost or the castle would notice Tommy’s absence while they were too far away to return. 

Now, it took all of the pair’s self-control not to stop and stare at the different bits of nature they had never seen before. 

It was Tubbo who gave in to curiosity first.

“Tommy! Tommy, look, oh my gosh oh wow oh-” Tubbo began, pulling the reins of his horse to change the direction. 

Hanging off a sturdy birch branch several feet off of the trail was the widest beehive Tommy had ever seen.

He blanched at the sight, cutting in front of the brunette to stop him from bounding towards the thing. Tubbo had always had a soft spot for the fuzzy insects and, oddly enough, they seemed to have a soft spot for him. He would pet the little things gently, and they never stung him. unlike Tommy, who felt that they were little monsters intent on fucking with him. 

“Hey- very cool, but we don’t know what kind they are. You shouldn't touch them, they could be venomous or some shit." 

Tubbo sighed dramatically at that before nodding, “Can I look, though? They seem like they would be fatter since the bigger nest n’ all.” 

Tommy glanced at the little home warily before dismounting his horse with a huff; Tubbo cheered and followed suit. Holding onto the reins of both animals, he watched Tubbo make his way under the hive, staring at it in fascination. Finally, a bee made its way out, staring at the visitor curiously. And fat it was. The insect was the roundest Tommy had ever seen one be. At least the size of his fist, and for a moment, the startled boys had almost mistaken it for a small animal. 

“Jesus Christ, that bug is huge.” Tommy shifted back and forth nervously watching the creature buzz around, it made its way down to inspect his friend, and Tommy almost closed his eyes in dread. 

The bee, however, like all the bees that had met Tubbo before it, didn’t seem to mind the boy's presence. Landing on his shoulder with a hum before whizzing towards some poppy flowers on the ground.  
Tubbo smiled as he walked back towards the blonde, “Okay, we can go now.” 

Tommy glared half-heartedly at his friend, “What happened to not touching them?”  
Unbothered by Tommy, Tubbo hopped onto his horse, grinning still. 

“To be fair, it touched me.” He said, watching Tommy heft himself onto his own saddle. 

“It was mutual.” Tommy said. Tubbo hummed as they began back down the dirt road.

The path was well-worn, but the carriage tracks thankfully stood out as being the newest indents in the floor. 

As of now, the boys were still relying on following markings, but that morning Tubbo had pointed out the risk of getting lost if the trail was somehow erased.

Tommy couldn't help but agree, so they had stopped briefly in a small village off of the trail to invest four of Tommy’s emeralds in a compass, map, and a few other small items a traveling trade offered the two. 

As quickly as they were purchased, the blonde shoved all of the items into Tubbo’s hands, claiming he was terrible with directions. 

Trotting along the dusty trail, Tubbo hoped he wouldn’t need to admit he wasn't entirely sure how to use the tools either. 

The boys talked about anything and everything as they moved, delightfully ignoring the nerves associated with their endeavor. Tubbo, in particular, felt a looming sense of dread the further the two wandered from home. 

He couldn't even be sure if it was fear of punishment or fear of being so far out in the wilderness alone. 

Probably a nerve-wracking mixture of both. Hours later, watching the sun recede towards the horizon, he let out a breath at the prospect of stopping. 

"I think the sun is about to set. Should we settle down somewhere soon?" He found himself saying, interrupting what had been a conversation about how they should talk to the women they meet at the party.

"Mm, yeah, your probably right; we should get a fire started before dark. Hopefully, the tracks will still be here in the morning, and my family should be stopping soon as well anyways." Tommy conceded, glancing around at the woods around them. Had the forest not looked all exactly the same for the past four hours, he might have been more particular about finding a spot to sleep. 

Pulling the reigns of his horse to guide it slowly towards the tree line, he dismounted gently onto the forest floor. 

"Here," He said, offering the leather rope to Tubbo as he also hit the ground. "You find somewhere to hitch the horses; I'll try to find some decent kindling." 

"Are you sure we should split up?" he asked, grasping the reigns tightly. 

"Yeah, I won't go far." Tommy reassured before walking into the brush. Once the blonde was out of sight, Tubbo turned to the two animals awkwardly. A brief glance around yielded two sturdy-looking trees about six feet apart where he could tie them.  
Unhooking the satchel on the side of his own horse, he pulled out the cotton rope. It took only ten minutes to slap together a picket line between the trees and attach the creatures, followed by 15 more minutes of waiting for Tommy to return.

In the blonde's absence, he managed to make a ring of stones for a fire pit. 

"Tubbo!" The blonde reentered the clearing with a shout, causing Tubbo to pitch forward with a shriek. 

"You are doing this shit on purpose, I swear to fucking God!" The brunette yelled, turning to the approaching prince. Once he was close enough, Tubbo smacked his head lightly, "Stop. Doing. That." 

"Ow, Stop, bitch." Tommy grumbled in a whiny voice, leaning away, his arms full of dry twigs and grass. "I got the shit; leave me alone." 

"You're so annoying, give it here." Tubbo muttered, reaching out to take the bundle. 

He set most of the sticks to the side before beginning with the grass and only a few twigs. He could hear the blonde sit down several feet away as he began working, setting the supplies into the pit how he needed them. Pulling the flint from his pocket and the dagger from its place on his waistband, he carefully scraped the two items roughly against each other. Sparks rained onto the kindling for a moment before stuttering out. With a sigh, he clicked once more, this time catching the edge of the grass aflame. 

As delicately as he could, he maneuvered the flame under the wooden kindling before it also lit up. 

Tossing a few sticks into the now taller flame, he leaned back to see Tommy's face. 

"That is so fucking cool." The boy laughed, scooting forward to be closer to the fire. 

Once upon a time, Tubbo had tried to teach the blonde how to light a fire using flint and steel. The blonde had tried for twenty or so minutes before slicing his thumb open on the metal and the two were forced to stop. A thick bandage and several tears later, Tommy had decided to let his friend handle lighting the fires. 

"You always say that." Tubbo chuckled, crossing his legs and leaning towards the heat. 

Tommy shrugged, "It's always cool." before standing to make his way towards where the horses were tied. A few moments of rummaging through the chest on his horse's side before he returned with a small sack of food. 

Dried cod and wheat rolls were an odd combination but safe to eat even after the day's journey. Neither boy would complain either, practically inhaling their first few bites, famished by the journey. 

The world had darkened since they first stopped, dyeing most of the scenery black outside of the small clearing; however, the area around them was slowly and delicately lit up as glowing bugs made their way into the night air.

The pair watched the insects, amused and almost relaxed by their presence. Tommy reached out slowly, allowing one of the dots to land for a moment on his hand before taking off once more.

Tubbo felt comforted by the flames of the fire as well as the light little bugs, breathing out deeply before asking something he had wondered for a long time.  
“Why don’t they let you come with them? The way you tell it, Wilbur and Techno have always been allowed to follow along. So why not you?”

Tommy paused in his chewing before swallowing the tough bread. He turned away from the little floating lights to look at the soil in front of him, vacantly he began tracing circles in the dirt.  
"I used to when I was younger. But around- I don’t know five or six? I don't really remember. Phil went to some fucking meeting- some sort of negotiation, I think- and took me along. I guess I was just brat or something, but I pissed someone off somehow."  
He rolled his eyes, but the gesture was bitter at best.  
"I’m not sure what happened after that, and they don’t like it when I bring it up, so I can’t really ask. But they went to bed with me there, and when they woke up, I was gone.” He told Tubbo in an abnormally quiet voice.  
“Like I said, I don’t remember much. I think I was missing for a week, maybe? But apparently, I was all sorts of fucked up when they finally tracked us down. So they stopped taking me on stuff." 

Tubbo took a moment to think about the explanation, raising his eyes to stare at the sky. Something about Tommy’s voice made Tubbo question if the blonde truly didn’t remember what had happened, but he didn’t dare ask. Regardless of the truth, he would not have lied without a genuine reason. 

“D’ya think they will think I’ve kidnapped you by now?” He asked Tommy, elbowing him gently in the side. Tommy seemed to have been drawn out of whatever stupor the memory had set him in and laughed. “No, with how much I sneak out nowadays, they shouldn’t raise any alarms for a good four days. So we're set!” 

Tubbo blanched at the sentiment, “Isn’t that a bit unsafe? What if you actually do go missing?”  
Tommy smiled widely, the light of the fire illuminating his features.

“Not going to. You’ve got my back, haven’t you? And let’s be honest, I’m way too cool to get snatched like that again.” 

Tubbo chuckled, though still a little bit off-put by the information. Apart of him hoped the boy’s family would have the sense to look, but did the castle guards truly let him slip out so easily?  
One by one, the delicate fireflies receded from the night air and retired back into the grass and trees, extinguishing their tiny beams of light as they went. 

A few minutes later, Tommy had laid their blankets down on the hard earth. The fire still crackled softly beside them when Tubbo retired first to his own “bed.” 

“When we get there, how mad do you think they will be?” He asked just as he settled in.  
Tommy stood from his spot, erasing the drawings from the ground with his foot. 

“Fuming. They won’t kill us, but they’ll definitely be mad.” He told Tubbo.  
The blonde laid down in his own blankets, pulling the quilt tightly around his shoulders, “But I’m going to prove that I can do this again. I’m old enough; I’m not helpless! And if they don’t believe me, then hey, at least we got to go to the party, right?” 

“At least we got to go to the party.” Tubbo repeated tiredly, and under the stars and ignoring the sound of creatures far away, he fell asleep.  
Tommy sighed quietly, rolling to face the warm fire, clenching his eyes shut. 

This will work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, if yall r reading this and ever see anything in the middle like  
> "come bak 2 thti s later I'm not werinting it loser"  
> Pls tell me lmfao, my notes aren't highlighted anymore and I just kinda cross my fingers they aren't in here lmfaooooo 
> 
> TYSM for reading :D Kudos and Comments r cool :) ty to everyone who commented before !! I will now respond to those lmfao
> 
> (Also Im about to go thru the second chapter and fix a few things so sorry if that notifies yall for anything idk how ao3 works w/ that)

**Author's Note:**

> I storage wrote like half of this already so if this flops I will cry.   
> JK lmao hope y'all enjoyed it!! More coming soon :)   
> Chapter 2 should be out honestly in a few minutes cause that's where things sorta get started.


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